HEAVENSREEF

If you look at these past 12 months differently like I do, you may see that all the lock downs and restrictions have made our lives simple.  We don’t eat out like we used to and I really don’t even shop anymore.  I zoom more and call more than I ever did.  I read more and spend more time in the Bible.  Seeing people outside is better than any face time I could do.  I walk more and pray more.  Seems like GOD removed some habits I shouldn’t have had in the first place and replaced them with the simple. 

God’s ways are always better and when we are too busy to know which end is up…….we miss HIM and HIS simple invitation to just:  COME!

The story of Martha and Mary highlights this one standout verse…….

LUKE 10:42  “MARY HAS CHOSEN THE GOOD PORTION, AND IT WILL NOT BE TAKEN AWAY FROM HER.”

Oh how we desire the “good portion” of life, so much so that we run after things that are not good for us.  Our lives become more complicated than they need to be.  And often we make our faith complicated, when we would do well to choose as Mary did…….to sit at JESUS’ feet.  HE is concerned with our heart condition…….

PROVERBS 8: 5  “O YOU SIMPLE ONES, UNDERSTAND PRUDENCE, AND YOU FOOLS, BE OF AN UNDERSTANDING HEART.”

 

How simple we all are…….we require food, water, air to breathe and our hearts need to worship and love.  GOD knows what we need.  HIS Holy Writ is a love letter to us, to guide us and help us.  So how do we step out each day in faith?  With childlike eyes and hearts……..

MARK 10: 15  “TRULY I TELL YOU, ANYONE WHO WILL NOT RECEIVE THE KINGDOM OF GOD LIKE A LITTLE CHILD WILL NEVER ENTER IT.”

How often we fail at the simple!  One of my lifelong friends and I used to sit for hours on her front porch in Colorado.  We would ponder all things of life and all things GOD.  And the rest of the world would melt away.  Honestly I never wanted to leave!  In those moments of fellowship and love we felt GOD saying to us to “come and sit with HIM.”  And so we did often.   It was so simple…..front porch, fellowship, GOD and prayers.  The result was peace and with the love of a friend, being drawn closer to GOD. Those were abiding moments treasured within my heart still today. 

THE ENEMY WILL CONFUSE US AND DISTRACT US AND MAKE OUR LIVES MORE COMPLICATED THAN THEY NEED TO BE.

So where is our worship today?  Is it Christ centered or world centered?  Where is our faith today?  Is it in the things of this world or is our faith solely in our GOD? 

ROMANS 4: 16  “THEREFORE, THE PROMISE COMES BY FAITH, SO THAT IT MAY BE BY GRACE AND MAY BE GUARANTEED TO ALL ABRAHAM’S OFFSPRING……”

Yes, by faith, a simple faith.  We are all HIS children, of faith, of doubts, of fears, of sin.  But we have JESUS and HE died for us!

GALATIANS 3: 26  “FOR YOU ARE ALL CHILDREN OF GOD THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.”

Putting aside our pride and self-help, we know we cannot do this life on our own.  Only our faith in GOD gives us the wisdom and strength we need…….only GOD…….only HIM!

SIMPLE CHILDLIKE FAITH EMBRACES ALL THAT GOD IS!

HE says come all you who are weary………AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST!

Charles Spurgeon once said………

“LORD, MAINTAIN THE FAITH YOU HAVE CREATED; STRENGTHEN IT, LET IT BE MORE AND MORE SIMPLE……LET OUR FAITH IN YOU BECOME MORE CHILDLIKE EVERY DAY THAT WE LIVE.”

Let this be our simple and wise prayer too…….the LORD knows what we need and how simple all our lives truly are!

MARK 10: 14  “LET THE CHILDREN COME TO ME; DO NOT HINDER THEM, FOR TO SUCH BELONGS THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”